Nurse Licensure Compact

The Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is an agreement that allows "mutual recognition" of a nursing license between member states in the United States of America. Enacted into law by the participating states, member states allow a nurse that resides in and possesses a current nursing license in a state that is a member of the NLC to practice in any of the other member states without obtaining additional licensure in that state. It applies to both registered and practical nurses and is also referred to as a multi-state license.

While a nurse's license may be multi-state, permanent relocation to another Compact state requires obtaining licensure in the new state, as their residency has changed. Likewise, a license obtained in a Compact state that is not one's primary state of residence is not mutually recognized by the other NLC members.

Participating states

File:Nurse licensure compact member states map.png

Map of the member states of the Nurse Licensure Compact shown in red.

As of March 7, 2015 there are twenty-five states participating in the Compact. This includes Montana which has passed legislation to join the Nurse Licensure Compact pending implementation on October 1, 2015. They are:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Delaware
• Idaho
• Iowa
• Kentucky
• Maine
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana (Enacted; Pending Implementation)
• Nebraska
• New Hampshire
• New Mexico
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• Wisconsin

Legislation has been introduced into several other states.

External links

• National Council of State Boards of Nursing
• FAQs about the Nursing Licensure Compact at the Texas Board of Nursing
• [1] National Council of State Boards of Nursing. 2009-03-07. Retrieved 2015-03-07
• [2]